Being Styley On a Shoestring Budget

While I have already written about the Budget Style-up, Ruben presents us with some interesting challenges and opportunities for clarifying priorities. See, in the Budget Style-up, Jeremy was a 29 year old professional, looking to keep the price-tag low.

But Ruben, a recent graduate, going into early-childhood education, has a different set of needs and restrictions. We needed to find quality pieces, select carefully, take copious photos, and buy the essentials only: anything else wound up as a link in a “some-day” shopping list. When possible, we isolated a “look” and dug up links for cheaper versions to return to in fall, when those first paychecks come in.

The Style-up

Hybrid Casual / Classy: Unstructured Blazer

Blazing the Trail Between Casual and Classy: The Unstructured Blazer

Unstructured blazers can be treated like a sweater. Throw in on over a t-shirt and roll up the sleeves!

Before Ruben and I even made it past the first rack (I guess that’s why it’s called Nordstrom Rack. Lots of racks?) we happened upon this blazer.

On the one hand, it looks great, and it would be a useful piece to have in a wardrobe. On the other hand, it serves to teach us a principle which we will return to numerous times in this Style-Story: a great outfit layers a) textures, and b) classiness levels.

This jacket, as a case study, has all the formal features of a dress jacket (on the outside, anyway). Lapels, three buttons, the breast pocket, you get the idea.

But the fabric is a lightweight chambray, the red detailing and white contrast buttons add one or two points of flair, and the jacket is unlined and has no shoulder pads (notice how it fits him like a shirt?)

This means he could throw this jacket over a t-shirt and head to the library, to check out activity books for his future kindergarten students, and afterwards, pair it with a white oxford for back-to-school night. It works for coffee with a colleague, and it works for date night.

As Ruben commented after the Style-up, shoes are foundation of an outfit. Since Ruben’s budget would only allow for one pair, it needed to be something versatile, able to lift a casual look but casual (and comfortable) enough to wear while chasing kids around on a playground.

Three types of shoe caught Ruben’s eye:

1) The Original Penguin Oxford (which you can find on eBay for under $60 – half that if you don’t mind used shoes).

2) A pair of boots that seemed like they could stick up for themselves through a Boston winter, still pairing nicely with the outfits we’d soon assemble.

3) The grand-daddy of all classy-casual shoes, Clark’s Original Desert Boots. These “goes with absolutely everything except a black suit” shoes probably win the day. Why? Because Ruben could check his size in the store, and with no trouble, find them newish on eBay for $30-40 dollars.

(This, incidentally, brings us to Shoestring Budget Shopping Pointer #1 — go to a brick-and-mortar store, and try on brands that are easy to find. Choose your size and color in a brick-and-mortar store, and find it later, used! This works best for staples and classics like the Clark’s Desert Boot).

New niche children’s book: Denim Connoisseur Visits the Wailing Wall.

No Need for Gourmet Denim

Unless you’re some sort of denim connoisseur, you don’t need to drop a lot of money on jeans, especially if you’re a) a guy, and b) on a strict budget. Stick with Levi’s, get them on sale, and go dark. Indigo. For more on the power of indigo jeans, click here.

As for size, visit a department store or Levi’s store, and try the 511 and 514 first. If they’re too tight, move up from there. Then, note the number and size — and off to find them on eBay for next to nothing.

You’ll notice that at this point, Ruben picked out his jeans, his shoes, and a sweater – but won’t spend a dime until he finds them on the cheap.

Behold. What not to do. [This, btw, is me before selfies were called selfies, trying to figure out the whole style-thing.]

Your button-up shirt is the first place where your styliness emerges; while you can get get away with meh shoes and maybe even meh jeans, if your sleeves are poofy and your billowing up over your belt, the look is shot.

This is a problem because manufacturers keep their shirts cheap by offering three sizes: S, M, and L (and maybe an X on each side).

If you’re a big guy with big guns, this is great. But if you are a smaller guy with, like, little guns, you’re gonna find a lot of seriously poofy shirts.

Solution 1: Find a tailor (more on that, here). The up-side? Your shirts will look amazing. The down side? Say goodbye to $40.

Solution 2: Stick with brands made for smaller / younger dudes. Ben Sherman and Express often run a bit smaller. Streetwear brands like VANS run smaller.

Solution 3: Look for slimmer fits in standard brands. Many companies like J.Crew and Gap make a “slim fit” version. When in doubt, try it first.

Let’s pause, incidentally, for a primer on size-code. Size names like heritage or classic or relaxed fit mean bigger. Names like tailored, or modern fit mean smaller. Don’t worry about the name of the fits. Try the smaller ones first, and move up from there.

Ruben found this great chambray shirt by VANS. It looks sharp and fits well and has two other elements going for it: because it’s chambray, a light blue cloth reminiscent of lightweight denim, it goes with everything.

Classic sneaks like these go with everything – even a chambray shirt and tie!

This also means it can be paired with dress shoes, or with sneakers. For those on a budget, PF Flyers are often less than twenty dollars and they look amazing. (Ruben can teach his future kindergartners that PF Flyers were first produced in the 30’s, which is why they have a classic look. The company was owned by Converse for a while [shocking, given their design], then bought by New Balance in 2003.)

The Magic Blazer

The pièce de résistance: 4 Swappable Ties and a Blazer

Last, in the shoestring Style-up, comes the combo that will allow Ruben to create a week’s worth of outfits: a blazer that will “style up” when paired with a button up, “style down” when paired with a t-shirt, catch eyes – and yet go with everything.

Why a blazer?

First, let me explain what the function of a blazer is; inherently, a blazer is classiness incarnate. It reminds the eye of a suit jacket. So, over a t-shirt, it makes a classy, casual look. Over a shirt-n’-tie, it makes the wearer “dressy.” But it can easily come off for rolling up the sleeves and helping a kindergartener pick Play-doh out of her hair.

Rubin’s dream-blazerretails for way-hay too much money, but on sale, it was within shoestring-reach. It wasn’t cheap, but it’ll be worth it; finding a great blazer can be tricky. It needs to be slim, the shoulders need to fit right, the sleeves need to come to the break in the wrist, and if the fit is off, or the material too Men’s Wearhousey, it looks like your older-brother’s hand-me-down. Unfortunately, there are very few ways to cut corners on a blazer.

Paired with a gingham shirt, knit tie, and cardigan sweater, it’s preppy with a side of grunge.

However, since Ruben found a blazer with a playful but subtle pattern (see the stripes? Look again…) it was time to pounce.

(This, incidentally, brings us to Shoestring Budget Shopping Pointer #2: when you find a good deal on a hard-to-find piece that will be very useful – splurge. It would be hard for Ruben to find a jacket this fly for this price, again.)

For example, the stripes of the blazer play off the stripes of the sweater and the pattern of the shirt. The thicknesses vary, so Ruben doesn’t look like a very stylish zebra. Meanwhile, the knit tie compliments the texture of the jacket in a way that no shiny bar-mizvah tie can.

Speaking of texture and classiness mashup, Ruben found a couple of additional ties that exemplify this style-maneuver. One features a bandana-pattern, but in a thick, quality cotton. One features a loud floral pattern – but in subdued color. To use the “flair-up” equation, either pattern gives him a +1 in flair, but the colors keep it anchored and from being too loud. No “flair-up” there.

Ruben is dressed like a professional, but he’s uncommonly styley. I believe he’ll make an amazing teacher.

Shopping the Style-Up Budget way saved Ruben about $400, and that looks good on anyone.

Ready for your own Style-Up?

I won’t hold your hand, but I will guard the fitting-room door.

Live in the bay area? A Style-up is painless. Maybe even fun. And it might help you land a date / job / both at the same time. Email Me and we’ll get you on your way!

Outside of the Bay Area? Through the miracle of the interwebs, we can arrange an on-line consultation. You’ll end up with a handful of great items, some new looks, and a spring in your step. Click to Email Me.